Loose-leaf book.



No. 888,440. PATENTED MAY 19, 1908.

F. W. HODGBS.

LOOSE LEAF BOOK.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT.11, 1905. RENEWED NOV.19, 1906.

Fig.1. 5 3

wi bmeaaca UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK W. HODGES, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO ALFRED M. CLARK, OF

KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.

Loose-LEAF BOOK.

Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1908.

, Application filed September 11, 1905, Serial No. 277,895. Renewed November 19, 1906. Serial No. 344,152.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. HODGES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kalamazoo, in the county of Kalamazoo and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf Books and I do hereby declare the following to "be a full, clear, and exact descri tion of the invention, such as will enable ot ers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in loose leaf books, and its object is to provide a device of the character described capable,

with equal facility, of holding few or many leaves; to provide a compact, convenient, strong and durable structure wherein the arran ement is such as to double the capacity of t e book without materially increasing its size or weight, and to provide the same with various new and useful features hereinafter more fully described and particularly ointed out in the claims, reference being ha to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1. is a perspective of a device embodying my invention with a art broken away to show the construction; ig. 2. asectional View of the same on the line 22 of Fig. 1.; Fig. 3. a detail plan shown at right angles to Fig. 2. and partially in section; and, Fig. 4. an enlarged detail showing the method of attaching the nut to the thon 1, 1 re resent the covers of t IG bOOk between w 'ch are arranged any convenient number of loose leaves 2 having the usual recesses and slits to receive the thongs; 3, 3 represent semi-cylindrical cases between the fiat sides of which the ends of the leaves are securely clam ed and to which the covers 1 are attached by means of hinges 6. These hinges permit the cover to be opened out freely or closed against the respective sides of the leaves. To securely and adjustably hold the cases 3 against the leaves, I rovide thongs 4 which are made flexible an strong by the use of wire cables 11 arranged between straps of leather 12 stitched at the edges. These thongs extend vertically through the leaves and thence through openin s in the adjacent fiat sides of the cases and t cnce extend horizontally within the cases. Their respective ends are securely attached to nuts 8 mounted on screw threaded rods 5 jourwith square ends-5 with which a ey (not shown) is. engaged to rotate the screws and adjust the nuts. The thongs are securely attached to the nuts by clamps 10, the members of which are preferably riveted to each other, the rivets extending through the edges of the leather. The wire cable extends through the clamp and is knotted at the end at 11*. The nuts on the respective rods are adjusted by means of screw threads on the rod and in the nuts, the same being right and left handed from the middle of the rod outward. Thus as the rods are turned in one direction, the nuts on each rod approach each other and tighten the thongs attached thereto. When the rods are oppositely turned, the nuts recede from each other and loosen the thongs. This device will also stay adjusted and firmly clam the leaves. The traverse of the nuts on t 1e rods is sufficient to permit the cases to be brought close to eac widely separated for holding a large number of the same.

To strengthen the cases where the thongs force the same toward each other, and to form suitable rounded surfaces upon which the thongs will run without bending too short, curved ways 9 are insertedadjacent the openings in the cases and over which the thongs freely move. By this construction, a very strong and durable structure is produced capable of exerting great pressure u on the opposite. surfaces of the leaves; acjustable by sim 1y turnin the rods by means of a suitabl form to a wide range of leaves inserted therebetween, and securely holding the same,

when adjusted. This structure is also symmetrical and with all of the mechanism inclosed and well protected.

It will be noted that by reason of employing thongs formed of wire cables, said thongs are rendered non-stretchable enablin any desired ressure to be applied to the caves and sai pressure maintained.

It will further be noted that b reason of the du lex screws mounted in t eopxposed cases orming the back of the boo the capacity of the book is increased nearly one hundred per cent, for, by rotating the screws so as to move the nuts thereon from the center outwardly to a point in alinement with the openings in thecases through which the thongs pass, said cases may be separated a much greater distance than would be possible e key; a apted to conin a structure wherein said thongs are rigidly independently moving said movable parts fastened at one end to one of the clamping parts.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a loose leaf book, the combination of clamping members, a thong connecting said members and composed of a wire cable and a laterally projecting cover for the same, a clamp embracing the thong, fastening's for the clamp extending through the edges of the cover, a nut on one member of the clamp and a screw en aging the nut. 2. In a loose eaf book, a thong comprising a round cable and a cover for the same having oppositely projecting flat edges, a clamp having a central'opening for the cable and opposing members to enga e the ed es of the cover, rivets through the 0 amp an edges of the cover, a nut on one member of'the clamp, and a screw engaging the nut.

3. The combination of two hollow clamping members semi-cylindrical in cross section a screw journaled in each member, opposing openin s in the fiat sides of the cases, thongs extendlng through said 0 enings, each thong consisting of a round cab e and an oppositely projecting cover, clamps on the respective ends of the thongs each clamp consisting of opposing members having a central channel for the cable and opposing members to engage the-cover rivets through the clam s and the ed es of the cover, and nuts on t e clam s an I engaging the screws 4. n a loose leaf book, the combination of the leaves of the cover, opposed clamping members hinged respectively to the leaves of the cover, a non-stretchable thong flexibly. connecting said clamping members, a movable part in each of said clamping members with which the opposite ends of said th'ong are connected respectively, and means for at the op osite ends of said thon to increase or ecrease the length thereof.

5. In a loose leaf book, the combination of the leaves of the cover, clamping cases hinged to said leaves; twonon-stretchable ,thongs flexibly connecting said clamping cases at their ends which are provided with registering apertures in their opposed facesthrough which said thongs pass, curved ways in the cases at said apertures to direct the.

thongs therethrough, movable members in the clamping cases to which the respective ends .of said thongs are secured, and means for moving said members in said cases toward and from said openings therein.

6. In a loose leaf book, the combination of the opposed clamping cases to which the leaves of the cover arehinged', a right and left screw journaled and passing longitudinally of each of said cases, the inner faces of the cases havin registerin apertures therethrough, two '0 ongs flexib y connecting said cases at their ends and passin through said apertures therein, nuts mounte' u on said screws within said cases, the ends of said thongs firmly attached to said nuts, and meansfor rotating said screws.

7. In a loose leaf book, the combination of the opposed clamping cases, a rotary screw shaft journaled in each of said cases, and a looped thong connecting said cases having a movable end portion extending longitudinally within each case, arnovable member securely attached to each end of said thong,

said movable members being threaded on the screw shafts in the respective cases.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANKW. HODGES. Witnesses:

' LUTHER V. MoULToN,

GEORGIANA CHAoE. 

